Guess the Architecture

Guess the Architecture is a place for engineers to test their knowledge of world architecture. Each week the CR4 team will post a different piece of architecture from around the world. We're looking for guesses at where it might be, or some information regarding the structure in the comments below.

Got an image that you think would stump the community? Submit the photo (with a brief history) and we'll post it!*

Re: Guess the Architecture for 11/21/2017

11/27/2017 11:25 AM

Perhaps unsurprisingly, SolarEagle correctly guessed last week’s Guess the Architecture. I was particularly fond of Brave Sir Robin's guess though. As SolarEagle mentioned, the residence and the property on which it sat made up the entire Republic of Kugelmugel.

According to Atlas Obscura, the property was declared an independent nation in 1984 by the Austrian artist Edwin Lipburger “[a]fter a dispute with the government over construction of his spherical house in central Vienna.” (Note: I have found conflicting dates for this event.)

Lipburger decided on a spherical house because he believed “spherical buildings are more natural and more livable spaces than square buildings” because they “reflect shapes that occur in nature.” Evidently, the Austrian authorities did not agree with Lipburger’s theory as they threatened to demolish the structure after refusing to issue special building permits for the house.

After declaring his property an independent nation, Lipburger was sentenced to jail for “his refusal to pay taxes and his insistence on printing his own stamps” before being pardoned by the Austrian president without serving time. Later, the building was moved to an amusement park to serve as a tourist attraction.

And, remember that I take obscure building suggestions for Guess the Architecture. You don’t even have to draw them — I’ll take care of that.